Salem Freeway Reopens Following Fatal Motorcycle Crash Into School Bus

Northbound I-5 is now open at milepost 250, south of Salem, after a fatal crash. An earlier detour is no longer in effect as all lanes of northbound travel are open.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers are investigating Tuesday afternoon's traffic crash that resulted in the death of an adult male motorcycle operator northbound on Interstate 5 south of Salem.

A fully loaded Creswell School District school bus was involved in the crash but no students were injured.

Preliminary information indicates on January 25, 2011 at approximately 3:25 p.m. a motorcycle operated by an adult male entered the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 250 when its operator lost control in the area of the middle and right lanes.

The school bus operator saw the motorcyclist losing control and tried steering to the left lane but was unable to avoid the motorcycle as it fell toward the school bus. The school bus struck the motorcycle operator and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The school bus was loaded with about 50 high school age students. Neither the driver or student passengers were injured.

A replacement driver was transported by the school district to the scene. After the initial investigation involving the bus including obtaining statements, it was allowed to depart from the scene. The northbound lanes are still closed as traffic is allowed to get through using the right shoulder. Additional information will be released after the on-scene investigation is completed.

Source: This is a news release from Oregon State Police; it represents the story only from a police perspective